Calls "are growing for a coaches union to be established in the A-League," as sacked coaches "continue to be forced to take legal action to secure a payout of their contract." A number of coaches sacked in recent months have "yet to be paid out for the remainder of their contracts," including Phil Moss at the Central Coast Mariners, Mike Mulvey at Brisbane and Alistair Edwards at Perth. It is believed "informal discussions have been held about the possibility of establishing a trade body for coaches," though it would need the support of Football Federation Australia to have "substantial muscle in dealing with clubs." Several coaches want such a body, and former Sydney FC and Newcastle boss Branko Culina said it was "high time" the coaches were given "similar protection to players" (Sydney DAILY TELEGRAPH, 6/9). ... An Egyptian court on Tuesday sentenced 11
men to death "for their part in the country's worst outbreak" of football stadium violence, which killed more than 70 fans and injured at least 1,000 in '12. The court, which had its session televised live, "sentenced one of the men in
absentia." Other defendants received between 15 and five years in jail
and "some were found innocent." The verdicts can be appealed (REUTERS, 6/9). ... Three people were killed and more than 70
were injured "during celebrations of Deportivo Cali's victory" in the final of the Colombian first division. In Medellín, 65 were injured in riots. The majority of those arriving injured at hospitals "had been stabbed or were injured in brawls." To "avoid further unrest," Deportivo Cali announced it would celebrate its victory privately and "refrain from parading through the city to show the newly won cup" (COLOMBIA REPORTS, 6/8). ... Former Scottish Premiership side Celtic and Dundee United defender Mark Wilson "hopes a new scheme will help ease the summer worries for players in Scotland without a club." Backed by players union PFA Scotland, it is designed to "find new clubs for out-of-work players." Wilson: "The summer is a worrying time where you are sitting from the end of May to probably well into July waiting for an opportunity to arise" (BBC, 6/9).
